Negative prices for electricity are getting more common in Europe and consumer costs have dipped—while Americans face rising energy bills

(Credit: Emilio Parra Doiztua—Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Electricity supply is increasingly outpacing demand in Europe as renewable energy capacity grows, making negative prices a more frequent occurrence.

In early 2020, Spain’s installed solar power capacity totaled nearly 9 gigawatts, according to data from Red Eléctrica. In early 2025, it had soared to 32 GW, helped by subsidies.